This invention relates generally to embossing foils and more particularly but not exclusively to hot enbossing foils.
In one form comprising a backing film and a decorative lacquer layer which can be released from the backing film and which has an adhesive layer at the side remote from the backing film, and possibly a release layer between the backing film and the decorative lacier layer, a reflective layer between the decorative lacquer layer and an adhesive layer and/or a bonding layer between the decorative lacquer layer and the backing film, either the backing film is provided with a three-dimensional patterning on a surface which carries the decorative lacquer layer, or the decorative lacquer layer has at least one transient cover lacquer layer which faces towards the backing film and which is provided with a three-dimensional patterning on its surface which is remote from the backing film.
Hitherto the practice has been to provide three-dimensional patterning on certain surfaces of an embossing foil only when the situation involved producing substantially the same image configuration over the entire surface of a substrate, which was to be decorated with the foil. For that purpose, the procedure adopted was such that the surface of the backing film carrying the decorative lacquer layer was roughened up for example by brushes or in some other fashion before the decorative lacquer layer was applied. The result obtained in that case, in relation to a substrate decorated with such an embossing foil, is a surface which is roughed over its entire area and which is of the appearance for example of brushed metal.
Another option in this respect is that of providing a transparent cover lacquer layer for the decorative lacquer layer of the embossing foil. That cover lacquer layer is provided at its surface remote from the backing film, over the whole thereof, with a three-dimensional or spatial patterning effect, as indicated above. When using an embossing foil of that configuration, the substrate which is decorated therewith has a smooth surface. Nonetheless, the impression given is that of a corresponding three-dimensional patterning effect or matt finish.
However, as already indicated above, a common aspect in relation to all such embossing foils is that the whole of the surface is substantially uniformly and equally patterned, so that for example there is a brush effect over the whole thereof.